WELLFLEET FINANCE COMMITTEE
WELLFLEET BOARD OF SELECTMEN
MINUTES OF JOINT MEETING OF OCTOBER 22, 2003, 7:30 P.M.
TOWN HALL HEARING ROOM
Present: Berta Bruinooge, Chair, Finance Committee; Nancy Bone,
Carl Caruso, Patricia Foley, Mac Hay, Arlene Kirsch,
John Makely, Sylvia Smith; Birgitta Olson, Clerk.
Dale Donovan, Chair, Board of Selectmen; Jerry Houk,
Michael May, Helen Miranda Wilson; Timothy Smith,
Town Administrator; Marilyn Crary, Town Accountant.
Department Heads Alan Hight, Becky Rosenberg,
Richard Rosenthal and Mark Vincent were present.
Meeting called to order at 7:30 p.m. Chair Berta Bruinooge and Chair Dale Donovan.
- At the request of Town Clerk/Treasurer Dawn Rickman, Selectmen approved and signed a Certificate of Vote concerning bonds to be issued for funding engineering, design and construction costs for a municipal public building and marina water system, as authorized under Article 5 of the Warrant of the Special Town Meeting of 10/22/01. MOVED by May, SECONDED by Houk, and CARRIED 3-1, with Wilson voting against the motion on the ground that it is not clear as to how the money may be spent.
- There were no Requests for Transfers from the Reserve Fund.
Pre-Budget Meeting Wrap-Up.
Berta Bruinooge said that it appears a $1 million override will be necessary if serious budget cutting is not done, and she doubts that townspeople will approve this. A smaller override might pass if voters can be shown a bare-bones budget justifying it. Helen
Wilson agreed, urging that we fix what we have rather than adding new capital projects. Carl Caruso said there will likely be overrides for the next few years, and suggested looking at how the Town can increase revenues. Arlene Kirsch said good progress has been made with increasing revenues over the past few years, but it is not enough; compromises must be made on the expense side. Dale Donovan suggested looking at the proposal for a modest tax on those who earn revenue by renting their homes in the summer. Berta Bruinooge suggested a $500,000 dollar cut in the overall budget, hitting on every major department with the same percentage decrease. She noted that if an override fails, this is what will have to be done anyway. Dale Donovan said the Town cannot operate in a vacuum; the population has increased; median household income
has increased; businesses have raised their costs, especially motel rates and house rentals; even movies have increased by 50%. Historically Wellfleet has been a poor town, but is it still? Mr. Donovan also said we know we are going to have to increase taxes above the 2.5% allowed, but this will give better services WELLFLEET SELECTMEN/FINANCE COMMITTEE PRE-BUDGET MINUTES 10/22/03
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primarily to the lower end of the population spectrum. Jerry Houk noted that the population has increased 10% in the last ten years, but Town staff has increased considerably more than 10%, and with that the Town budget. Discussion continued from some time concerning services desired vs. costs and touching on various possible ways to cut the budget, from not snow plowing private roads to imposing a surcharge on marina slip and mooring rates outside of the dedicated Marina Enterprise Fund; from cutting July 4th fireworks, which includes substantial indirect costs to asking for radical cuts in Police, Recreation, Beach and Administration departments budgets. The session was concluded without
articulation of a clear strategy for avoiding a large override.
Selectmen left the meeting at 8:55 p.m.
Liaison Appointments.
The Chair announced that Anne Suggs is resigning from the Finance Committee. Earlier liaison appointments were reviewed and some adjustments made to allow for filling gaps.
Liaison Reports.
Sylvia Smith reported on the Wellfleet Elementary School; Pat Foley on the Personnel Board; and Berta Bruinooge on the Nauset Regional School Committee and the 4-Town FinComm Rep Committee, which is pushing for a 0% increase in school budgets.
Business.
- The Minutes of the meeting of 9/24/03 were approved, as MOVED by
Caruso, SECONDED by Foley, and CARRIED 7-0-1.
- Mail was reviewed.
Selectmen have announced a goal setting meeting on Saturday,
November 15th, to which all committees are invited.
- There was discussion of the appropriateness of the hook-up
section of the municipal water system based on the Town Meeting
vote, and of whether or not the Finance Committee has a role to
play regarding this matter.
Meeting adjourned at 9:55 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Birgitta V. Olson
Committee Secretary
_______________________ ________________________
Berta Bruinooge, Chair Dale Donovan, Chair
Finance Committee Board of Selectmen
Approved ________ Approved
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